The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-15
The Report Of the Commissioner of
the Land ONCE

| the Land Once
| WASHINGTON, October 1.-THE report
of the commissioner of the General
LAND Office shows since March 4, 1885,
that 81 1874, 481 acres have been restored
to the public domain. The sales, entries
and selections of the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1887, embrace %, Ill. 400 acres,
and of the Indian land TAG, 637 acres,
making a total of %, 1858 OBS, an increase
crease of 4, 1862 524 as compared with the
fiscal year of 1885. Receipts dis osals of
public lands, $10,7S 921; from sales
of Indian lands. 81 ,4S4 ,302; total, $l2.-
268, 224. Increase over 1856, So, 237, 727;
as compared with the fiscal year of
1885, of $3.648,62 to which is to be
| added $80.291 on account OF tim Der
depredations aid $12 493 for certified
copies of records, making the total re-
ceipts from all sources $12, 2S9 COS.
| In Arizona frauds in favor of the
Atlantic & Pacific Railway in block of
land so by 100 miles, by which the road
is given all the good land, are alleged by
1.-the sSuryeyor-General in his report
| to the commissioner. The de-
velopment of fraudulent returns
of swamp lands in surveys heretofore
made In Minnesota render a thorough
examination of Importance. Stories of
| fraudulent work also come from New
Mexico, Nevada and Wyoming Survey
ors- General. Field examinations,
continues the report, "have developed
! fraudulent and defective sury eys here
tofore returned to an extent which
renders apparent the necessity for an
I oF
fully justifies the conclusions reached
| accounts for the past survey until
the true character of the work shall
be ascertained." The report briefly re-
views the work Of the Surveyors-Gen-
eral of Arizona, California and New
| Mexico, in examining private land
claims. About forty claims in New
Mexico were examined, and in nearly
every case the Surveyor-General
recommends their rejection, principally
on the grounds of fraud and non-com
ipliance with the law. Many were found
to cover areas several times as large as
that of the original grants. In discussing
the swamp land grantsthe commissioner
| says the claims unders these grants
have already reached the enormous
amount of nearly 1900, 900 acres, and
that patents have been issued for nearly
56. 745, 900 acres. Investigations during
the past year have demonstrated the
fact that many swamp land claims are
fraudulent. On forfeiture of the rail-
road land grants, the Commissioner re-
news the recommendation that for
l fixture be declared in all cases in which
according to the grant. OF fraudulent
land entries as the result of the years
investigation 2,312 entries, covering
about $4,000 acres, were held for can
collation., and 1,153 entries covering
| about $50 600 acres, cancelled for fraud.
This subject he pursues at some
| length. He says such record of crime
tsend bold, reckless and gigantic schemes
tto rob the government of its land is
4 rarely to be found. They have been
discovered and exposed in every State
and Territory containing public lands
| and the commissioner thinks he can
truthfully say in every land district and
county which special agent has Wis
tied men ofintelligence and high stand
ing in the community, in many in
stances millionaires, were leaders in
these unlawful transactions. Over 5000
cases have been discovered wherein per-
Jury, or subordination of perjury was
committed. In a majority of cases Off
GERS before whom the proofs or other
papers were executed, while not di-
rectly responsible to the land depart
ment, were cognizant of the fraud or
could have become so by ordinary
diligence. While the area of fraudulent
entries is gradually becoming circum
scribed, there still remains much to do,
and an entire or general cessation OF
fraud cannot be expected so long as
facilities offered Tor its preparation by
the existing laws are SO great and the
means for their prevention so small
| Upwards of 10, 900 uneXamined cases are
now on the files in which fraud has
been charged or indicated; ], oil cases
of timber depreciation or trespass were
reported on during the year, involving
in timber and products Sc, 146, 1886, re-
coverable to the United States. The
amount actually recovered was $685. 42.
On the subject of Reform in Public
Land Laws" the commissioner says,
all efforts to secure reform by
repeal of amendments to particular
acts and provisions have failed
| through opposition or interests
at variance with the proposed leglsla-
ton. What is needed, in his opinion, is
entire reformation in the existing laws,
retaining an absolute homestead and
obsoleting all other forms of disposing
of agricultural lands. Actual residence
on all improved and cultivation for
! homestead for a period of five years
should be the exclusive condition fo-
acquiring title to such lands. 1t would
also appear that the time has arrived
when the privilege of taking public lands
should be confined to citizens of the
United States. Mineral laws should be
so amended as to preserve the public
right of mineral exploration to citizens
of the United States, and to prevent a
monopoly of the native mineral wealth
by individuals and corporations.
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